The term “imposter syndrome” has become a cultural shorthand for self-doubt. We’re told it’s something to fix within ourselves: a nagging belief that we’re unqualified or unworthy, even when all evidence points to the contrary. Yet for many women—and especially women of color—this framing misses the mark entirely.In reality, what’s labeled as imposter syndrome in the workplace is often a misdiagnosis—a symptom of systemic inequities. It’s a response to environments steeped in bias, exclusion, and relentless scrutiny of the competence of women, Black professionals, and other people of color, a practice known as “competency checking.” Competency checking—whether intentional or unconscious—undermines those who challenge traditional norms of leadership and success. Imposter syndrome, however, masquerades as an internal failing, leading women to pathologize themselves rather than confront the systems perpetuating their struggles.[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]This misidentification was never clearer to me than during a conversation with a prospective client—a white woman—about a keynote speech on imposter syndrome. I explained my view: imposter syndrome is a catch-all term that obscures the real culprits—sexism, racism, and white supremacy. It can set up women to blame themselves for what is actually persistent, systemic competency checking.The woman was visibly taken aback. She said that none of the consultants she had spoken with framed the issue this way, and one consultant had even claimed that “Everyone has imposter syndrome, and anyone who says they don’t is a liar or a narcissist.” This reductive and harmful framing shocked me. Imposter syndrome isn’t recognized as a psychiatric disorder; it’s not listed in the DSM-5 or the International Classification of Diseases. Yet the notion that everyone suffers from it has become pervasive.Read More: Yes, Impostor Syndrome Is Real. Here’s How to Deal With ItI explained to her that feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty are part of being human. But these feelings differ from the systemic barriers and biases that create environments where women—and especially women of color—are made to feel unworthy. Black women, for instance, often reject the idea that they are imposters. Instead, they focus on the challenges of working within systems not designed for their success. This difference in perception can create friction with white women, who may frame these struggles through a lens of personal failings, a narrative that imposter syndrome encourages.Citing global inclusion strategist Ruchika Malhotra and writer Jodi-Ann Burey’s Harvard Business Review article “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome,” I emphasized that self-doubt often reflects a rational response to systemic bias. As Malhotra and Burey put it, “Impostor syndrome directs our view toward fixing women at work instead of fixing the places where women work.”Unmasking the villainI often use a metaphor inspired by Scooby-Doo to explain this dynamic. In every episode, Scooby and the gang unmask a ghostly villain, revealing it to be someone using fear to hide their schemes. Imposter syndrome is a similar mask, obscuring systemic inequities that fuel self-doubt. Once the mask is removed, the real question is: How did we get here, and why do so many—particularly white women—believe the ghost is real?The origins of the term “impostor phenomenon,” coined in 1978, offer clues. Psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes described the experiences of 178 predominantly white, upper-middle-class women who felt intellectually fraudulent despite their achievements. The study framed their feelings as internal failings rather than responses to external pressures, such as patriarchy and white supremacy, which drive perfectionism. It overlooked the realities of sexism, classism, and racism—and the complex interplay of these forces.If the study had included women of color, working-class white women, or others excluded from its narrow lens, it might have painted a different picture. Take Crystal Lee Sutton, the real-life inspiration for the movie Norma Rae. In 1978, when Sutton stopped her work and famously stood up on a table in the mill to protest the impact of unchecked capitalism, sexism, and racism on the poor and working-class women who worked there, she didn’t hold up a sign saying she felt like an imposter; she held up a sign that said “UNION.”There must have been days when Sutton felt uncertain or even like a fraud—not because of a clinical disorder but because she was human. Yet she identified the real culprit: The systemic exploitation of working poor women. Sutton understood that change required building a coalition of white and Black women to challenge the status quo. She correctly identified the external factors—and fought back with the right medicine: solidarity.Reimagining the solutionTo move beyond imposter syndrome, we must reframe it as a systemic issue rather than an individual failing. Workplaces must become environments where microaggressions, implicit bias, and inequitable opportunities are actively dismantled. Women must recognize that self-doubt often reflects competency checking, not their actual abilities.Solidarity is crucial. Women of all backgrounds must come together to challenge the status quo, building coalitions that center the experiences of the most marginalized. Organizations, too, must reassess how they evaluate candidates for hiring and promotion: Are hidden biases baked into the criteria used to measure competence? And how do these biases disproportionately affect women and people of color?Moving toward collective actionImposter syndrome thrives in isolation, convincing women that they alone are flawed. But the solution lies in collective action. By addressing the systemic roots of competency checking, we can create workplaces where self-doubt doesn’t hinder potential, and no one is punished for their confidence or ambition.White women must recognize that their successes and burdens are intertwined with those of women of color. The fight against competency checking isn’t just about individual self-improvement; it’s a call to dismantle the systems of oppression that undermine all women in the workplace.In the wake of the great DEI surge of 2020–2021 and the current collapse and retreat from creating more equitable workplaces, women of color—and particularly Black women—find themselves under attack, and in desperate need of support from true allies. To move forward, we must unmask the real villains and build a future grounded in solidarity, equity, and shared power.From the book QUALIFIED: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work by Shari Dunn. Copyright © 2025 by Shari Dunn. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.